


Sweet Offerings

by phantomas (sil)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Character Study, Discord in Keys of Winteriron, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 20:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13667103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sil/pseuds/phantomas
Summary: Written for the Winteriron Discord Key exchange





	Sweet Offerings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tisfan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisfan/gifts).



> Written for the Winteriron Discord Key exchange

The party was in full swing, the compound resonating with music and cheers every time fireworks appeared in the sky. Tony had timed it so that there will be a crescendo, culminating with a golden and red shower of light, just before the first lights of dawn. There were still a few hours to go.

 

People wanted to celebrate. Needed to. Another alien invasion defeated, the Avengers (even though that name was not official anymore) reunited and successful together. Wakanda a new ally to rely upon. It was the confirmation of the end of several months of horror and fear and despair. All over the world, everyone was celebrating in their own way.

 

Tony was tired. He had mingled enough with those who counted, slicked a few more doors open to facilitate what he thought were good plans, for everyone. He had his share of drinks. He'd watched Pepper dance with a string of potential suitors, and even the slight tinge of jealousy was tempered and soothed by the warmth in her eyes when they happened to look at each other. They were friends before, and they will be again.

 

Steve was chatting along with Sam and Rhodey on the far side of the enormous room, near the open balconies, enjoying the scented night air. Rhodes movements were far smoother after Tony had worked on the prosthetics again - “You're just using me as a guinea pig, aren't you, Tones? Human experimentation is still not allowed, you know that, right?” but he had been smiling and more than happy to test Tony's latest innovation so that he could walk better, run painlessly, and at some point, those same innovations would trickle down to wider commercialisation and help other people to walk.

 

Steve caught Tony looking, and Tony didn't let it faze him. They had made their apologies by standing side to side on the battlefield. Upon arrival at the compound, earlier that day, Steve have seamlessly and with no hesitation embraced Tony, and held him. Held him until Tony had relaxed in his arms, and accepted the renewed friendship. “I'm glad to be here,” Steve had murmured. “I'm glad you're here,” Tony had replied. And even if both knew more words had to be spoken eventually, it was enough for now. More than enough.

 

Steve nodded with a small smile, Tony lifted his glass to him, then retired to the kitchen.

 

He really was tired. The catering personnel moved efficiently around him, and he found a quiet corner in which he could sip at his drink and just let the tension ebb off him.

 

And then, of course. He just sort of appeared. He being Barnes. The Winter Soldier. Cap's Best Forever Friend. Him of the stupid nickname, Bucky.

 

“Gods but I hate it when you do this.” Tony wasn't bitter. Nope. He was not. “Having a good time?”

 

Barnes grimaced. “Not really. Too many people.”

 

“Didn't have that problem in the middle of fighting.”

 

“'course not, I could kill them then.”

 

“There's that,” Tony conceded with a nod. He was trying not to look at Barnes, because...because. He didn't want. There was too much there, and it made Tony really uncomfortable, and Tony Stark does not like being uncomfortable, and he's just tired of all this shit and-

“You're muttering under your breath again. You know I can hear it, right?” Barnes hopped light to perch on the same table Tony was.

 

“Fuck off,” Tony replied, but the venom he wanted to be there wasn't there, the words instead tinted with the exhaustion that was having the best of him. Whatever was churning deep inside of him, he was not prepared to let out.

 

“I'm going into cryo again,” Barnes said quietly with that low, broken voice of his that tugged at Tony's attention in ways he didn't acknowledged. Tony glanced sideways, quickly. Didn't say anything.

 

“Steve's not happy. But I still think it's best. My mind is still not my own..”

 

Wanda had carefully sensed Barnes' brain in one of the rare pauses they got between the desperate fighting. Steve had all but begged Barnes to let her try, let her see if she could do anything for him, for those code words hidden deep within him. She'd sent her red tendrils towards him as gentle and as non invasive as possible, tested the shape of the horrors within. Barnes had disappeared for days after that. But no. There was nothing she could do without entering his brain in ways that no one wanted, that made Barnes white with terror, with no guarantee of results.

 

“And you're telling me this, because...?” Tony's tone was careful, guarded.

 

“Because, me helping with-” Barnes lifted his flesh hand, waved it around. “All this. Doesn't make everything else right. Doesn't make us even, does it? Not that- well.” Barnes went quiet and Tony stared ahead with a fixed desperation.

 

“I thought. You could think about it. For when I get out of cryo next. If there's a way I can make it up to you. A way for you to- to be able to look at me. Without that look in your face. Steve doesn't want to hear it, but I know what I am. What they made me into. I just. I see it in your face every time you look at me.” The last words were practically a whisper.

 

Tony did look at Barnes then, the man's face hidden by his long hair, the flesh and metal hands wrapped around each other loosely in his lap. How did Barnes manage to look so young, so defenceless, when he was anything but? For once, Tony's words were all tightly wrapped around each other in his throat. He hopped off the table, walked a couple of steps away. Safer, to put some distance between himself and Barnes. Although Tony wasn't sure why, or what for. Barnes was faster than Steve when he wanted to be.

 

“I could help you. With the mind thing. Could try anyway. I am, after all, a genius, in case no one told you. I've developed this thing, a couple of years ago, this software and I still need a better name for it, because really, Barf doesn't exactly project the right image, right? I mean, PR is still harassing me about it, though there is no way we can develop it to further use or mass production, it's just too expensive and delicate a system to use without extensive training and at the end, I'm the only one who can actually make it work properly, and-” the torrent of words dried up suddenly.

 

Tony turned around. Barnes was staring at him with an intensity that should have made Tony call for his iron suit, but instead his legs took two steps forward.

 

“I mean it,” Tony said, squaring up to Barnes. “I could help you.”

Barnes licked his bottom lip, then bit it, betraying a lack of control which was rare in him.

 

“Why?” and Tony knew Barnes had to ask, couldn't just accept it. He wouldn't be Steve's friend if he wasn't just as equally stubborn.

 

Making amends, Tony thoughts, starts at home. Starts with looking in your heart and knowing what's there, and what's right. What better answer than that?

 

“Because. Someone has to put it right. May as well be me.”

 

There was a tickle of enjoyment at seeing the Winter Soldier reduced to silence and frowning in confusion. But also the realization that no one, in years and years, had offered Barnes a chance at being forgiven the murderous actions he did not chose to commit. Steve, yes, of course, but Steve was not a victim of what the Winter Soldier had done. Not really. Tony was.

 

“I can explain to you how it all works tomorrow. Decide after. It's worth a try. Steve can supervise, make sure I don't go all out frizzing your brain to pulp-”

 

“You wouldn't do that.” Barnes' voice had no hesitation in it. He looked directly at Tony, and Tony looked back. Felt each inch of himself, body and soul, naked under that ice cold gaze.

 

“No,” Tony replied, slowly. “No, I wouldn't.” He lifted his hand, offering what he had distractedly picked off the table behind them just a few minutes before. “Have a cupcake.”

 

Barnes reached out with his flash hand and curled his fingers around Tony's wrist. His finger-pads were rough and hard, trigger-calloused. Warm. Super soldier warm. They brushed against Tony's fingers once, then again, more firmly. Not a chance touch, by any means. Then, Barnes used his metal hand to take the cupcakes, and bit into it.

 

“These are good cupcakes,” he said, after munching and swallowing his bite, tugging lightly on Tony's held wrist to move him closer between his knees and offering the half-eaten cupcake to Tony's mouth.

 

“Yes,” Tony replied. “Yes, they are,” he said, taking a bite, feeling the pressure of Barnes' knees against his tights.

 

“They are very good cupcakes.”

**Author's Note:**

> And yes, clearly I'm working through post/fix-it CW feelings :)  
> But also, I don't like to use too many tags. If you think I should use a specific one, do let me know! (Obviously, I would warn for serious triggering stuff)


End file.
